Quote:
Originally Posted by Andrew Schreiber
This sounds like a different problem than the KoP. It sounds like a problem with training and documentation more than anything. While I agree that rookies don't have experience I have rarely heard of them destroying components. This concerns me greatly. What do you mean by destroyed? What caused the failures? Obviously, this is a problem but I don't think allowing teams to buy replacements is the best solution as it is merely a bandage.
As for KoP changes, how about a change up, get rid of the KoP. I can't tell you how much stuff 397 has sitting around that we never used in the KoP. Perhaps take the value of the KoP (Say $3000) and give it to us in AndyMark shopping credit. (Why AndyMark? Because I like them and they have a wide variety of parts that are easily adaptable for most teams. Also, cuz they are pretty cool people) Rookies would still get shipped a control system (CRIO, Sticks, Driver Station etc) but the vets would get a game piece and nothing more on Kickoff. Everything else would be ordered ala carte from the "Store".
Benefits:
Less waste
Less cost to teams
More variability in the KOP (Need Gen1 SS intead of a C-base? No problem)
Downsides
Organizational Pain
Delay in getting parts you need
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While this is a great idea, there is a thing wrong with it that I find. Many knowledgeable, experienced teams would love this system - but there a quite a few teams that aren't as experienced or as knowledgeable, who (no offense intended) build the KOP chassis and little else, because that's all that they can do. This system would leave them with too many choices as to what to do, confusion, anger, and perhaps the folding of the team.
There are, of course, a multitude of ways of getting around this, like having teams opt in for a KOP chassis in your KOP in return for $500 or so of in-store credit. If they opt out, then they receive the full credit available.
Just my two cents.